moore



(No Model.)

0. s. JOHNSON & M. E. MOORE.

' INVALID BED.

No. 452,304. Patented May 12, 1891 wdlfpg g THE uonmsmznns 420.,wore-mum, wAsmNsmq, 94 c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

CAROLINE S. JOHNSON AND MYRON E. MOORE, OF DEERING CENTER,

MAINE; SAID MOORE ASSIGNOR TO SAID JOHNSON.

INVALID-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,304, dated May 12,1891.

Application filed April 19, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CAROLINE S. JOHNsON and MYRON E. MOORE, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Deering Center, in the county ofCumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Invalid-Beds; and we do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to "theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

Our invention relates to invalid-beds and to raising and loweringmechanism for the same, which mechanism is so constructed that theinvalid may from his position on the bed raise and lower himself bymeans of a crank or handle which rises at the side of the bed and whichis so constructed that it may be turned down and put out of sight whennot in use.

The novel features of our invention are pointed out in the accompanyingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated a bed which embodiesour invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a centrallongitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a section on 0c :0 of Fig. 1, and Fig.atis a detail of the shelf or ledge for retaining the vertical shaft.

A main frame A,having end posts ac, rests on the floor. A frame B,having uprights b at its ends, is so connected to the frame A as to becapable of moving vertically relative to the frame A. This weaccomplish, as here shown,by tongues and grooves formed in the posts aand 1), whereby they slide longitudinally on each other.

On each end of the frame 13, connecting the lower ends of the uprightsI), are cross-pieces I). (See Fig. 2.) These cross-pieces have securedto their under sides nuts which engage the lifting screws 0. Theseliftingscrews are pivoted at their lower ends in the frame A, andsecured near the lower end of each is a band-pulley c. The pulleys o andSerial No. 348,733. (No model.)

the screws are manipulated by means of an endless band D, which runsover them and over an actuating-pulley g, pivoted at the side of the bedand on the same level with the pulleys c c. This pulley g is secured tothe lower end of a vertical shaft g, held in bearings g 9 and having onits upper end a crank. The shaft g has a joint g above the upper bearingby which it may be turned down from its upright position and concealedfrom the sight of the patient, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. Theupper portion of the shaft g passes through a ledge or shelf L. (Shownin plan in Fig. t.) A sleeve 9 capable of longitudinal motion on theshaft g,fits into an opening Z in the ledge L, and from the opening Zextends a narrower slit or groove Z, of sufficient size to allow theshaft g to pass through. The head portion of the bed or back-rest E ispivoted to the frame B by a horizontalshaft e. Theback-restisraisedbymeans of a spring 6 coiled about the shaft 0 and acting upwardon the cross-bar e. The spring is contracted and the back-rest allowedto drop by means of an arm 6, projecting outward at right angles fromthe shaft 6, and bearing downward on the end of the spring 6 Secured tothe end of the shaft 9, at the outside of the frame, is a ratchet-wheel6 having ratchet-teeth e extending around a portion of its perimeter. Aweighted pawl e engages the teeth e and prevents the ratchet wheel fromso turning as to lift the back-rest. A lever e is loosely pivoted to theend of the shaft 6, and it is provided with a pin e which impingesagainst a stop, or, as here shown, a shoulder a in the perimeter of theratchetwheel e. The lever is so connected as to be capable of rotatingthe ratchet-wheel e to depress the back-rest, while it will turn down inthe opposite direction when released to the position shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1, rest ing on a stop 1'. The foot-rest F is pivoted by arod f, and is lifted and kept in a hori zontal position bythe spring fAfoot-board f is provided capable of tilting down to a position where itwill be flush with the top of the bed, as in Fig. 2. The center of thebed is occupied by a commode-seat I, beneath which is a cabinet H,having an open end or side, as shown in Fig. 9. Within the cabinet II isa vertically-moving platform J, on which the vessel is to be set. Thisplatform has sides j, which slide up and down in grooves A horizontalrod 70 extends through the cabinet H, and connects atthe side of the bedwith a lever 70, by which it is rotated. Arms k extend outward from therod is, and pass loosely through loops j in the sliding sides of theplatform J. The rotation of the rod 70 thus raises and lowers theplatform J. A catch k is provided to hold the lever 7.; 7; in an uprightposition and to hold up the platform J.

The operation of our bed is evident from its construction. hen it isdesired to raise and lower the bed, the vertical shaft g is turned, andthe motion is transmitted from the pulley g to the pulleys c c by meansof the band D, which is so adjusted as to turn both pulleys in the samedirection. The screws 0 thus raise or lower the bed with an easy motionand without any jar or noise. Vhen the shaft g is no longer in use, thesleeve 9 is slid up and the shaft turned down to an inclined position,as in dotted lines in Fig. 1, where it will be concealed from the Viewof the patient. If it is desired to lift the back-rest, the lever e islifted from its normal position, as shown in dotted lines, to theposition shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and the ratchet-wheel isslightly turned until the pawl is released, when the back-rest will riseof itself to the desired position. It is designed to have the spring bywhich this back-rest is raised somewhat stiffer than will be needed tolift the heaviest person who will come on it. To lower the back-rest itis pressed down, and the lever e is also pulled backward if anyadditional force is required. lVhen the commode is in use, the lever 7;is raised to the position shown in Fig. 1, raising the vessel to aposition immediately beneath the seat.

may be removed through the opening in the cabinet lI, if desired.

The bed herein shown is intended to be used by placing it alongside ofan ordinary bed, raising the top to the proper level, and removing thepatient onto it. It may also be placed inside of an ordinary bed, asuitable space being provided for it.

As usually constructed, our invalid-bed is about one-half the width ofan ordinary bed.

We claim-- 1. In an invalid-bed, a frame and raising and loweringmechanism for the same, a vertical shaft for operating said raising andlowering mechanism, a joint in said shaft to permit its being turneddown, a sleeve on said shaft above said joint, forming an upper hearingfor the same and adapted to slide longitudinally thereon, a support orledge at the side of the bed-frame,having an opening for receiving andretaining said sleeve, and a horizontal slot connecting with saidopening, whereby the said shaft is permitted to be turned down when saidsleeve is displaced, substantially as described.

2. A frame and a back-rest pivoted thereto by means of a horizontalshaft, a spring coiled on said shaft for raising said back-rest, an armon said shaft for compressing said spring, a ratchet-wheel rigidlyconnected with the outer end of said shaft, a pawl engaging the teeth ofsaid ratchet-wheel and adapted to hold said back-rest down, a leverpivoted to the en 1 of said shaft, a pin in said lever, and a stop onsaid wheel, whereby the same may be rotated to lower said back-rest,substantially as described.

CAROLINE S. JOHNSON. MYRON E. MOORE Witnesses:

W. BATES, GEO. W. JOHNSON.

